Today I’m introducing two young genealogists, Elisse and Robert Brady. They are sharing how they became interested in genealogy and family history and what they like about it. For more information about the LDS topics they discuss, see Why Family History is Important at Mormon.org. Elisse My name is Elisse Brady. I live in Idaho Falls, ID with my husband and my daughter. I love riding my bike, eating black licorice, reading books, teaching junior high English,...
We are reading Homeplace by Ann Shelby this month. You can read my review of Homeplace here. The story is about a family who lives in the same place and takes care of the family farm for several generations. They feel a close connection with the land and the home. Kids love to feel that same connection to their grandparents and ancestors. Here are three ways you can help kids experience their ancestor’s homeplace: Look at Pictures of...
Have you ever wondered what is at your state archives? Tucked away in a corner, could you find a clue to your ancestor’s life? Every state has a physical location that hosts a treasure trove of artifacts, documents, books, and more. The National Archives provides a list of state archives and don’t despair if you don’t live near the one where you need to research. Many of them are digitizing their collections and making them available on...
I received the following email from FamilySearch Indexing: “Thanks to your grandparents…you’re here! One of the highlights of their story was their wedding.” My 3 year old daughter agrees – weddings are certainly a highlight of life. She loves looking at my wedding photos and asks me all the time, “Mom, are you already married?” She looks forward to her own wedding someday. Until then, she’s content to dress up in white and sing “here comes the...
With summer about over are you ready for another great book? Half Broke Horses by best-selling author Jeannette Walls reminds us of the power of family stories. In this “true life novel” Jeannette gives us anecdotes in her grandmother’s voice that prove real life is often crazier than fiction. This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, we receive a small commission but it doesn’t change the price of...
This month for our kid’s book club we are reading Homeplace, by Anne Shelby, with illustrations by Wendy Anderson Halperin. This out of print gem was published in 1995 and teaches about ancestors, generations, farm life, and the feeling of connectedness we receive by physically being in a place special to our family history. This post contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a purchase, we receive a small commission but it doesn’t change...
Do you have family heirlooms hiding away in a trunk or cupboard? Do you know the stories behind each keepsake and have you recorded those stories? One small artifact might be an important key to understanding an ancestor’s life. Here are some simple steps you can take now to preserve the memories behind each heirloom. I am the daughter of a keeper of heirlooms. My mother has kept jewelry, clothes, dishes, books, pillows, quilts, and...
News 23andMe has a problem when it comes to ancestry reports for people of color by Euny Hong at Quartz Genealogy project delves into early days of Colorado Springs hospital by Carol McGraw at The Gazette What’s New on FamilySearch—August 2016 at the FamilySearch Blog – exciting changes to the mobile app including search records button linking to Ancestry.com. Also the ability to add un-indexed images to a person as a source. Family Roots Expo in St....
Today I’d like to introduce you to my second cousin, Teresa L. Thyden. Although our grandfathers were brothers, we had never met, corresponded, or even known about each other’s existence. Teresa found our blog when she happened to come across my post: The Search for William Henry Kelsey’s Journal. Also a Kelsey descendant, she shares my love of researching family. She inherited photos and documents of the family I had never seen and has been...
I’m happy to introduce a guest blogger today. Mike Gibson is a singer/songwriter who grew up in East Tennessee. As a young boy he discovered an old guitar tucked away in the back of a closet. Influenced by such artists as James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg and Jim Croce, he has been playing, singing and writing for over four decades. He will be sharing his experience writing a song about his grandparents in conjunction with a...
